104,156 tests in 2025
BMW X1 reliability and MOT pass rate
85.3% passed first time. The 14.7% fail rate is 7.9 points better than the all-car average, on a median example 8 years old with 59,680 miles.
Pass rate
85.3%
22.6% of all cars failed; 14.7% of these did.
Fixed on the day
3%
Passed after a defect was put right during the visit.
Median at test
59,680 mi
8 years old.
Fail rate by age
| Age at test | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 3-5 years | 20,739 | 7.6% |
| 6-9 years | 50,431 | 11.6% |
| 10-13 years | 22,852 | 22.9% |
| 14+ years | 9,869 | 26.4% |
What the X1 fails on
Share of failed tests with at least one fail item in each DVSA inspection section. A test can fail in several sections at once.
- Tyres5,275 dangerous39.2%
- Suspension176 dangerous31.4%
- Brakes1,611 dangerous19.5%
- Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment24 dangerous17.5%
- Visibility3 dangerous14.7%
- Noise, emissions and leaks6 dangerous6.7%
- Body, chassis, structure78 dangerous6.1%
- Road Wheels56 dangerous2.1%
Is the X1 getting worse?
The fail rate rose 1.8 points to 15% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
| Year | Tests | Median age | Fail rate | All cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 93,644 | 6 | 13.2% | 22.5% | |
| 2023 | 100,326 | — | 14% | 22.8% | |
| 2024 | 91,141 | — | 14.6% | 23.2% | |
| 2025 | 100,398 | — | 15% | 22.6% |
Fail rate is first attempts at class 4 tests. Median age is the age of a typical X1 at its test that year, and it is the number to watch: across the whole fleet each extra year of age adds roughly 1.9 points to the fail rate, so a model whose age and fail rate rise together is simply getting older.
The exact defects that fail it
Every failure item DVSA recorded against a X1 in 2025, counted by how many tests each one appeared on.
- 1Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2,216 tests
- 2Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords2,182 tests
- 3Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1,682 tests
- 4Condition: has ply or cords exposed1,404 tests
- 5Coil spring: fractured or broken1,265 tests
- 6Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1,134 tests
- 7Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid937 tests
- 8Shock absorbers: has a serious fluid leak743 tests
What wears out first
Advisories are the tester flagging wear that is still legal. A typical X1 collects 2.26 of them per test, and these are the ones that come up most. Treat it as the running-repairs list for the next year or two.
- 1Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm15,744 tests
- 2Condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure8,060 tests
- 3Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick7,342 tests
- 4Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn6,963 tests
- 5Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened4,460 tests
- 6Non-component advisories: Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt3,596 tests
- 7Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm2,306 tests
- 8Brake discs: significantly and obviously worn2,176 tests
Questions
What is the BMW X1 MOT pass rate?
85.3% of the 104,156 BMW X1 first-attempt MOTs in 2025 passed. The fail rate of 14.7% compares with 22.6% across all cars. A further 3% passed after a defect was fixed during the test visit.
What does a BMW X1 usually fail on?
The single most common failure is "Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn", recorded on 2,216 failed tests, followed by "Condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords" and "Tread depth: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm". By section, tyres appears in 39.2% of failures, suspension appears in 31.4% of failures, brakes appears in 19.5% of failures.
Does age change the odds?
Sharply. At 3 to 5 years old the fail rate was 7.6%; at 14+ years it was 26.4%. The median BMW X1 tested in 2025 was 8 years old with 59,680 miles.
Is the BMW X1 getting less reliable?
The fail rate rose 1.8 points to 15% from 2022 to 2025, against a rising rate across all cars.
First-attempt class 4 tests, 2025, from DVSA’s anonymised MOT data (OGL v3, retrieved 2026-09-12). DVSA records newer cars trim by trim; this page adds every X1 trim together. Year-on-year figures come from the same DVSA extracts for 2026 and earlier years. Full method on the pass rates hub.
DVSA has published 40 safety recalls naming the BMW X1: BMW X1 recalls.
Other BMW models
Checking a particular X1?
The odds above are the model. The car in front of you has its own record: every test, every advisory, the mileage at each one.
Due a test? Find an approved MOT station near you.